Sprint Adding 4G LTE to 28 Additional Cities in Coming Months

Power data users in several cities will soon enjoy a 4G LTE
experience with the only truly unlimited 4G LTE plans from a national
carrier

January 16, 2013 01:13 PM Eastern Time

OVERLAND PARK, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Continuing its push to deliver an enhanced top-tier network experience
for customers, Sprint (NYSE:S) announced today that its 4G LTE network
build is progressing in 28 additional cities within its nationwide 3G
footprint. The deployment is part of Sprint’s Network Vision strategy, a
plan to consolidate multiple network technologies into one new, seamless
network with the goal of increasing efficiency and enhancing network
coverage, call quality and data speeds for customers across the United
States.

“We’re committed to providing improved 3G and 4G LTE as quickly as
possible, and keeping our customers informed as to when and where they
can experience the new network’s superior performance and speed”

Work has begun on the 4G LTE network in the following additional areas:

Albany, GA

Anderson, SC

Bay City, MI

Branson, MO

Bremerton/Silverdale, WA

Columbus, GA

Columbus, MS

Decatur, AL

Florence/Muscle Shoals, AL

Gadsden, AL

Gaffney, SC

Gettysburg, PA

Glasgow, KY

Homosassa Springs, FL

Hot Springs, AR

Lake City, FL

Lake Havasu City/Kingman, AZ

Midland, MI

Nacogdoches, TX

Opelousas/Eunice, LA

Oxford, MS

Paris, TX

Pittsfield, MA

Saginaw, MI

Spartanburg, SC

The Villages, FL

Waycross, GA

Winona, MN

“We’re committed to providing improved 3G and 4G LTE as quickly as
possible, and keeping our customers informed as to when and where they
can experience the new network’s superior performance and speed,” said
Bob Azzi, senior vice president-Network, Sprint. “Our customers depend
on their mobile devices as their primary source of communication,
business connectivity and entertainment. We’re delivering all of that
functionality at a very competitive price.”

During the pre-launch phase, Sprint customers with capable devices may
begin to see 4G LTE coverage in these areas and are welcome to use the
network even before it officially launches. Through Network Vision,
voice quality is enhanced and Sprint customers in upgraded areas are
seeing better performance on their smartphones, mobile broadband
connection cards and mobile hotspots when using the Sprint 4G LTE and 3G
networks. Customers can expect to experience the following performance
improvements once the 4G LTE and 3G upgrades come to their areas:

Fewer dropped calls for peace of mind when talking to friends, family
or colleagues.

Improved voice quality and less static or background noise when making
phone calls.

Sprint plans to announce commercial availability of 4G LTE in these
cities in the coming months, followed by continued enhancements in
coverage, performance and reliability. Ultimately, Sprint’s 4G LTE
coverage is expected to largely match the existing nationwide 3G
footprint.

Sprint has announced nearly 200 markets where Sprint 4G LTE is on its
way, including Boston; Charlotte, N.C.; Indianapolis; Los Angeles;
Memphis, Tenn.; Miami; Nashville, Tenn.; New Orleans; New York;
Philadelphia; and Washington, D.C. To find out more about which markets
currently have Sprint 4G LTE and which markets are coming next, please
visit www.sprint.com/4GLTE.

Sprint introduced its all-new 4G
LTE network in July 2012 and currently offers service in 49 cities1.
As part of its overall Network
Vision strategy, Sprint is also doing a complete overhaul of its 3G
infrastructure so that customers can enjoy better wireless signal
strength, in-building coverage, and fewer dropped/blocked calls. These
enhancements are now available to customers in several markets across
the country, with new sites coming online daily. With these enhancements
to Sprint’s 3G network, the company’s prepaid customers, on Virgin
Mobile and Boost Mobile, will also benefit and can expect to see better
coverage, improved network reliability and voice quality resulting in up
to 20 to 30 percent fewer dropped and blocked calls.

In today’s competitive wireless market, the value of unlimited has never
been more apparent and Sprint is clearly a leading choice in wireless.
Customers with capable devices can combine Sprint’s all-new 3G and 4G
LTE networks and enjoy unlimited data while on the Sprint
network. Data usage continues to increase and consumers value Truly
Unlimited data because it’s simple and straightforward – while on the
Sprint network there is no metering, no throttling, and no need to share
data, which increases the likelihood of a surprise monthly bill because
of overage charges.

Coupled with unbeatable plans and fast devices, Sprint has been working
hard to deliver the best customer experience in the past few years. The
2012 American Customer Satisfaction Index ranked Sprint No. 1
among all national carriers in customer satisfaction and most improved,
across all 47 industries measured, over the last four years. And Sprint
has been ranked Highest in Satisfaction with the Purchase Experience
among Full-service Wireless Providers three times in a row by J.D. Power
and Associates.

About Sprint Nextel

Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline
communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers,
businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel served nearly 56 million
customers at the end of the third quarter of 2012 and is widely
recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative
technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national
carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data
services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost
Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international
push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. The American
Customer Satisfaction Index rated Sprint No. 1 among all national
carriers in customer satisfaction and most improved, across all 47
industries, during the last four years. Newsweek ranked Sprint
No. 3 in both its 2011 and 2012 Green Rankings, listing it as one of the
nation’s greenest companies, the highest of any telecommunications
company. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com
or www.facebook.com/sprint
and www.twitter.com/sprint.

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